YEMEN. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is providing immediate food assistance to 20,000 people displaced by sudden flooding across southern Yemen. WFP is delivering high energy biscuits and dates to those without access to food or cooking facilities.

“The survivors are in urgent need of our assistance,” said WFP Yemen acting Country Director, Salman Omer. “They can eat the biscuits and dates immediately and this should help to ease their suffering.”

The floods - which have killed at least 58 people and left hundreds more homeless - affected the provinces of Hadramaut and Mahara after a tropical storm struck on Thursday. The damage has been extensive and both provinces were declared disaster zones on Friday.

Attempts to get medical supplies and relief aid to the region have been a challenge as many of the roads in the area are flooded. WFP is offering its logistical support to other humanitarian organizations, using capacity from its existing food assistance operations in the country.

WFP Yemen is implementing a US$76.2 million five-year country programme to assist approximately 1 million Yemenis. The programme aims to improve the health of malnourished children under five, pregnant and lactating women and tuberculosis and leprosy patients, as well as increasing access to education among girls.

The agency also provides humanitarian assistance to 77,000 persons affected by the war in Sa’ada governorate as well as food to 43,500 vulnerable Somali refugees fleeing conflict in their country.

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